Improvement in machines for sharpening pencils



F. LIVINGSTON. Machine for Sharpening Pencils. No.v 203,'550.

Patented May 14, 1878.V

N'PETERS UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

FRANCIS LIVINGSTON, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

l IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FOR SHARPENING PENCILS.

Specification forming'part of Letters Patent No. 203,550, dated May 14,1878 application filed October 15, 1877.

`To all whom it may concern: 4

Be it known that I, FRANCIS LIVINGSTON, of Newark, Essex county, NewJersey, have invented, made, and applied to use Improvements in the"Construction of Machines for Sharpening Lead and Slate Pencils, and thatthefollowing is a full, clear, and correct description of my invention,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of thisspecification, and to the letters o f reference marked thereon, inwhich- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention. Fig. 2 is anelevation of the pencil holding and operating device. Fig. 3 is asection at line .r .r of Fig. 2. t

In the drawingslike parts of the invention are pointed out by the sameletters of reference.

The nature of the present invention consists in improvements, as morefully hereinafter set forth, in the construction of machines forsharpening lead and slate pencils, the object of the invention being theproduction of a machine for the purpose intended which shall perform itswork efficiently and rapidly.

To enable those skilled in the arts to make and use my invention, I willdescribe its construction and operation.

A shows a base-plate, provided with a standard, B, for supporting theoperative parts of the machine. Within the upper end of the standard Bis received a shaft, C, free to revolve, having attached upon one endthe crank-arm D, to which is secured the handle E, while upon theopposite end of the shaft is keyed the knife head or support F, towhich, upon its face and near its outer edge, are attached a series ofknives, G. The outer surface of the knife-head is provided with a seriesof grooves, f, running from one side of the knife-head to its oppositeside, and partially curved, the object of which will be more fullyhereinafter set forth.

,Mounted upon the standard B, and secured to the same, is the device forholding the pencil tobe sharpened. This consists of aframework, H, theupper portion of which is placed at right angles to the upright portionof the same, andis provided with an opening, through which is passed theupright I attached upon the upper side of the block J, upon the forwardendof which is attached the lipped support K, for the end of the pencilto be sharpened. Upon the under side of the block J is secured a boX, L,in which is received the holding device for holding the pencil to besharpened, the end of whichv has been received within the lipped supportK. This consists of a hollow shaft, M, having upon its forward end apinion, N, and upon its rear end the cap O. Passed through the hollowshaft M are a series of bars, P, the forward ends of which form hooks p,while their rear ends are headed and received within the slottedportions of the button Q. Between the hooks p and a shoulder upon theshaft M is placed a spiral spring, R.

The pencil-holding device, when placed in position in the frame-work H,is held by means of a cap, S, passed over the threaded endA of theupright I, and a headed screw, T, entering into and engaging with thecap S, and occupies a position directly in front of the knives G, thepinion N engaging with the grooves f upon the knife-head F. Upon theupper surface of the block J, near the ends of the saine, are placed thepins or stops a, between which is placed a cam-shaped lever, U. Byturning this lever U either to the right hand or left hand the positionof the block J may be varied, varying the position of the lipped supportK and of the holding device relatively to the knives G.

Such being the construction, the operation may be thus described: Themachine should be flrmlylsecured upon a proper support for it, andthebutton Q is drawn out and back, and the pencil to be sharpened isinserted Within the hollow shaft and passed throughthe same until itsforward end is received within the lipped support K. As the button isdrawn backy the spring is contracted, and as the button is released thespring R expands and the bars P close around the body of the pencil tobe sharpened, and thus the holding device accommodates itself topencilsdiffering in diameter.

the holding device, the hand of the operator turns the handle E, bywhich the shaft C, having secured upon it the knife-head F, is caused torevolve, and the knives Gr secured upon the same are broughtsuccessively into The pencil having been thus placed in f upon the outersurface of the knife-head F,

and engaging with the same, revolves and carries with it thepencil-holding device, so that a rotary movement is imparted to thepencil received between the bars P, and thus the whole body of thepencil is, in turn, prey sented to the knives as they revolve.

As the forward end of the pencil is cut away bythe knives G the same isgradually brought nearer to the knives by turningthe cam-shaped lever U,and thus varying the position of the holding device relatively to theknives, the cam-shaped lever turning freely upon a pin secured in theforward end of the frame B, and passed through it, and being placed, asalready stated, between -the pins or stops a secured upon the upper sideof the block J.

When the pencil has been properly sharpened, the block J is moved awayfrom the knives G by moving the cam-lever U in the opposite direction,or toward theright hand, the button Q is drawn back, carrying with itthe bars P, and the pencil may be withdrawn from the holding device,and, a second pencil to be sharpened having been inserted in the holdingdevice, the operation already set forth may be repeated.

For use in banks or oflices where many penc1ls need to be sharpened,mymachineis more particularly intended, and will be found to fullyanswer the purpose for which it is intended.

Having now set forth my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. In amachine for sharpening pencils, the combination of a revolvingknife-head, carrying a series of knives, with a revolving pencil-holdingdevice and a lipped support for the forward end of the pencil,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a machine for sharpening pencils, the combination of a revolvingknifehead, carrying a series of knives, with a revolving pencil-holdin gdevice and a lipped support for the l forward end of the pencil, whichmay be gradually advanced to the knives by means substantially asdescribed, and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a machine for sharpening pencils, the combination of the followingelements: `a frame, A B,`for supporting the shaft C, the knife-head F,and the knives G, with apencilholding device composed of a frame, H,upright I, block J, shaft" M, pinion N, bars P, button Q, and spring B,constructed and operating substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

4..- In a machine for sharpening pencils, the combination of thefollowing elements a frame, A B, for supporting` the shaft C, theknife-head F, and the knives G, with a pencil! holding device composedof a frame, H, upright I, block J, shaft M, pinion N, button Q, andspring B, and the lipped support K and cam-lever U and stops a,constructed and operating substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

FRANCIS LIVINGSTON.

Witnesses:

W. T. MERSEREAU, E. E. BOND.

